Blake on a rock

The first trailer for The Shallows, starring Blake Lively, was posted today. She shot it in Australia last year. And it’s a summer release. So initially I was like…

Blake Lively? In a summer blockbuster? Blake Lively in a movie that people will want to go see? Maybe even a good movie? And her acting will be good too? Watch, then let’s resume:

When Sarah sent this over to me earlier, the only word she used was “NOPE”. I don’t know what she’s NOPE-ing about, specifically. Because there’s a lot to NOPE about. Including the acting. But what I’ve since been able to put together about the film is that this is a showcase for a director known for the visual. Who focuses on the visual. Who has, in the past, worked with some “trashy” scripts, and elevated them on pure shot-making. So acting isn’t the focus here. And that actually works in Blake’s favour. Because if The Shallows doesn’t deliver, it’s not on her. And if it does deliver, on aesthetic, by association she gets to share in the bonus of that.